Shubhabrata Dutta
In Prime Video’s action comedy drama ‘Heads of State,’ two of the world’s most powerful personalities find themselves working together reluctantly against a common enemy. The rivalry between US President Will Derringer (John Cena) and British Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) is as clear as day. As fate would have it, the little mutual likeness that might exist in them deep down is forcefully brought to the surface after the Air Force One they were traveling in is shot down by foreign adversaries.
Staying alive in enemy territory is paramount, and the two guys are forced to rely on each other’s support and skills until they reach help or help reaches them. Thankfully, they have MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) on their side. After a conspiracy that is the root of the attack is revealed, they take the fight to whoever intends to ruin the political fabric of the world. The Ilya Naishuller directorial is high on globe-trotting action, and visuals play a significant role in raising the stakes as the protagonists proceed in their mission by picking up the potentially harmful breadcrumbs.
Heads of State Filming Locations
‘Heads of State’ was filmed in Italy, France, England, and Serbia, specifically in the cities/provinces of Trieste, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Liverpool and London, and Belgrade, respectively. Principal photography reportedly began in the first week of May 2023 but was affected by SAG-AFTRA strikes that started in July and ended in November of the same year. Filming seemingly resumed after that and lasted several months before wrapping up in the last week of May 2024.
Trieste, Italy
A handful of scenes, including some stunt sequences, were filmed in Trieste, the capital of the autonomous Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The Piazza del Ponterosso, one of the city’s most iconic squares, and the nearby Ponte Rosso Bridge that spans the Canal Grande, were utilized for a chase sequence. Several shots were taped at the Port of Trieste, Italy’s most important commercial port in the Adriatic Sea. Le Rive, the historic seafront known for its shops, hotels, piers, and sailboat masts, was utilized as a backdrop. The long stretch of pathway covers sections of Riva Tre Novembre, Riva del, Riva Nazario Sauro, and Riva Grumula from north to south.
The crew taped a few scenes at the Trieste Cathedral, located at 2 Piazza della Cattedrale. The Roman Catholic cathedral is dedicated to Saint Justus and is the seat of the Bishop of Trieste. The Piazza Unità d’Italia, AKA Unity of Italy Square, also served as the setting for a handful of shots. It is Trieste’s main square and boasts the Art Nouveau government building, the Lloyd Triestino building, the Assicurazioni Generali building, and City Hall. The Lloyd Triestino building itself doubled as the seat of the UN. It was built between 1880 and 1883 based on a design by the Viennese architect Heinrich Von Ferstel. The decorative elements, the Italian Renaissance architecture, and the external sculptures all contribute to the imposing majesty of the iconic building.
Specific interior spaces of the Generali Convention Center at 24/2 Viale Miramare were turned into a headquarters setting, with around 50 local workers hired for the same. The 10,000-square-meter convention center is one of the largest multipurpose convention centers in Italy and stands tall as a symbol of science and innovation. The two modular buildings, which constitute the center, can be customized based on the type of conference, corporate event, or fair.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France
The crew lensed many indoor and outdoor scenes in France’s Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. In the city of Nice, it accessed the spaces of Victorine Studios, AKA Studios de la Victorine. Many indoor scenes and action sequences were reportedly taped in the studio. Located at 16 avenue Edouard Grinda on the French Riviera, it offers 10 film sets with 2,500 m² of soundproofed space, along with green-screen facilities, multiple production offices, meeting rooms, lodges, and more.
The city of Grasse, a subprefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, served as a backdrop for a few shots. It is known as the perfume capital of the world and has been a part of the perfume scene since the 18th century. A must-visit festival in the city is the annual Concours des villes et villages fleuris (Competition of cities and villages in bloom), which promotes green spaces and building natural environments. Sospel is another commune that was utilized for filming. It lies near the Italian border in southeastern France and is reputed for its historical buildings. Théoule-sur-Mer, a resort village east of the Esterel Massif on the French Riviera, was used for additional sequences. Since the French Riviera itself doubled for locations in Spain and Italy, it is possible that the above-mentioned cities and communes may have been used for the same purpose too.
A few shots were captured in Provence, a historical province known for stunning natural landscapes, like the lavender fields, coastlines, river valleys, and gorges. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who took her daughter Malti, whom she shares with her husband Nick Jonas, to the shoot, told E! News about her experience. “We were on location in Provence, and while she [Malti] was on set, she and her grandma would go to this bakery to get croissants and bring them home. She had the most amazing time while we were filming this movie.” Besides nature, the city is reputed worldwide for its rich historical monuments, like Théâtre Antique, the Pont du Gard, Le Palais des Papes, and Le Pont d’Avignon Saint-Bénezet. The decision to shoot in these locations was seemingly to benefit from the French Tax Rebate for international productions.
Liverpool, England
In Liverpool, a port city in Merseyside, England, the crew resorted to Saint George’s Hall, at Saint George’s Plaza, for several scenes. The Neoclassical structure is a Grade I listed building and hosts exhibitions, theatrical performances, concerts, and corporate events. It offers guided tours for visitors and is a popular filming hotspot too. Some other movies that have utilized the building as a backdrop are ‘Official Secrets,’ ‘The Batman,’ and ‘Creed.’
While Saint George’s Hall served as a base for both interior and exterior shots, the Port of Liverpool, which lies on the east side of the River Mersey in Merseyside, served as the background for a few additional outdoor shots. A historic hub of maritime commerce, it is one of the United Kingdom’s busiest container ports and largest cruise terminals. The crew probably used it to incorporate the international waters, a crucial aspect for any globe-trotting flick.
London, England
A lot of the scenes of ‘Heads of State’ were captured in London, the capital city of England. The global city is home to many top-tier filming studios, one or more of which may have been used to shoot sequences requiring custom spaces and sets. Furthermore, the urban landscape, including the skyscrapers and iconic landmarks like the London Eye, the Shard, Canary Wharf, and the SIS Building, makes the city an apt environment to set a contemporary action thriller. Movies like ‘Deep Cover,’ ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,’ and ‘Fountain of Youth’ were filmed in London as well.
Belgrade, Serbia
Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, was used as the setting for some additional scenes. Located in the north-central part of the country, it is the home of Serbia’s film industry, enabling the crew to utilize the best resources and equipment as required. It is one of the most culturally popular cities in the world. Among the many cultural festivals and events it hosts, the most well-known are the Belgrade Music Festival, Beer Fest, the International Belgrade Book Fair, and the Belgrade Choir Festival. For those who want to know the city better, they can visit Republic Square, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Museum of Serbia, Kalemegdan Park, and the neighborhood of Kosančićev Venac.
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